My Fitness Journey – Part IV

I decided to create a Part 4 of My Fitness Journey to finish answering some questions that I forgot to include in the previous posts and that I got afterward, and to also create a summary of the last posts. So, some of these questions I might have answered in previous posts but not in depth. I want to make sure your questions are answered thoroughly and that you find my story inspiration and proof that when you set your mind to it, you can do it. Here are the questions and answers:

Q: How much weight did you lose?

A: To be honest, I never kept track, but I lost about 15
lbs. What I can say is that I have dropped about 1 to 2 sizes down depending on
the brand. I was wearing between a 6 and 8 or between M and L. Now, I wear S/M
or 4-6 depending on the fit and the item of clothing. I feel so accomplished!
Although there are some areas I want to keep working on, I think I have reached
a milestone in this journey. I usually don’t weight myself, but I want to start
measuring myself, which is more accurate. When you begin weight training, you
may lose fat, but you may also gain muscle weight. Weighing yourself may be
right at the beginning, but then it may not be that accurate.

Q: How long did it take you to get used to it?

A: It took me about a year of changes and getting myself
adjusted to the new lifestyle. As you can see, it is not something that happens
from one day to another. If you want the changes to be permanent or
long-lasting and you want the lifestyle to stay for good, you need to take it
slow and see what works for you and what doesn’t.

Q: In how long did you see changes?

A: I mentioned that I started gradually. In the beginning, I
was getting used to small changes like food substitutions and trying to go to
the gym regularly. In September of 2018, I started going to the gym 4 to 5 days
a week, and during that month, I started eating healthier and clean. From the
day I started in September, I would say I saw changes in about 4 to 6 weeks.
That’s when I saw that my clothes were not fitting me already (they were a
little big on me). If you set your mind to it and you are patient, you can
start seeing significant changes in 6 weeks.

Q: Was it hard?

A: At the beginning, it was hard. Finding the motivation and
creating the discipline of eating clean most of the time and getting myself to
the gym, was HARD. But, because I did it gradually and not all at once, it was
fast to get used to eating. I would say that reducing my sugar intake was the
hardest, because well, who doesn’t love a donut or a desert? Believe me when I
tell you that it is not impossible, and it is extremely rewarding.

Q: How did you keep yourself motivated?

A: This is hard at the beginning because you do not see
changes, and if you are not used to the lifestyle, it is easy to go backward.
Try to find a friend you trust that would check on you to see if you are going
to the gym, or maybe get a gym buddy. It helped me a lot to have a mood board
somewhere visible of the goals I had. And remind yourself every day why you
want to start this change. This last one is what will keep you motivated. Also,
don’t get fooled by the gym enthusiast on social media, everyone at least once
or more wakes up not wanting to go to the gym. This is when discipline plays a
role. When you have discipline and dedication, there is nothing that will keep
you from going to the gym and eating healthy.

I hope this series of posts has helped you understand my
journey, and I hope that it motivates you to do it too. You don’t have to
follow a diet or someone’s directions exactly as they tell you. This change is
all about finding what makes you feel good and comfortable, and it is also
about your health.

If you do decide to embark on this journey and would like
someone to keep you motivated when you feel down, don’t hesitate in contacting
me! I love supporting people to reach their goals!